10 Best Kayak Spray Skirts In 2019

There are a lot of health benefits to kayaking and it’s a great way to exercise. You can spend a day on the water. Your idea of kayaking may be to hop in and paddle away, but there are a few things that should be on your kayaking checklist. One of those is a kayak spray skirt.

A kayaking adventure may not always take place in perfect weather or calm waters. If you like to kayak in rugged adventures, a kayaking skirt is a great way to keep yourself dry and seated in your kayak. No, this isn’t a skirt to wear when kayaking.

A kayak water skirt is a piece of fabric that goes around the opening of your kayak and cinches to secure itself around you. The kayak splash skirt will keep your kayak from filling with water and keep you dry, which can be extremely important in cold weather conditions.

We have the top choices of the best kayak skirt designs, which will have you safely kayaking in the water.

Sneak Sprayskirt 5.0 by Seals Skirts

This is a medium-weight nylon pack cloth. It has a waterproof polyurethane coating. There is a water-resistant zippered tunnel with an adjustable neoprene waistband, and it has removable suspenders. There are mesh accessory pockets and a safety slip technology.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Waterproof coating

Removeable suspenders

Mesh pockets

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inchesWeight: 2 pounds

2

EDITORS CHOICE

Inlander Spray Skirt by Seals

This kayaking skirt will keep any drips from your paddle out of your kayak, along with any water spray and rain. It fits a Wilderness System and the Aspire. It is a medium-weight nylon coated packcloth that has an adjustable tunnel. There are double-stitched and sealed seams, along with a safety slip technology.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Medium-weight

Adjustable tunnel

Double stitched seams

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inchesWeight: 0.2 ounces

3

BEST VALUE

Spray Skirt by Hydra Creek

This top rated kayak spray skirt has an adjustable size with the adjustable straps. It has quality construction and is made of a breathable nylon. It will give you the perfect fit and is designed for you. The large opening will fit a variety of paddlers. Kayak skirt reviews call it a “perfect fit”. It also comes with a Lifetime Warranty.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Adjustable size

Breathable nylon

Large opening

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Weight: 13.6 ounces

4

Shocker Kayak Spray Skirt by Seals Skirts

This is a neoprene deck with a glued and sealed seams tunnel. It has a stitched bungee rim and safety slip technology. It also has a Sealtex wear guard. The tunnel is form-fitting. It also features a grab loop.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Neoprene

Safety slip technology

Grab loop

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Weight: 1.6 pounds

5

Coastal Tour Sprayskirt by Seals

This is a medium-weight nylon coated packcloth. It has multiple lash points and a mesh deck pocket. There is also a quick release paddle park. A tensioned deck stay and adjustable waistband with removeable suspenders make this one of the best kayak skirt designs. It also has safety slip technology and sealed seams.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Lash points

Mesh deck pocket

Sealed seams

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Weight: 2 pounds

6

Adventurer Spray Skirt by Seals

This offers spray protection for moderate paddling conditions. It is a medium-weight coated nylon packcloth with sealed seams. It has a tensioned deck stay and an adjustable waistband with removeable suspenders. It also has a rim grip technology.

Extreme Tour Sprayskirt by Seal Skirts

This is a high-performance neoprene skirt with sealed seams. It has a stitched bungee and Seal-Tex edge guard. The tunnel is waterproof and breathable. It has an adjustable no-slip waistband with removeable suspenders.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

High-performance

No-slip waistband

Removeable suspenders

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Product Dimensions: 19 x 16 x 9 inchesWeight: 2 pounds

9

Basic Nylon Sprayskirt by NRS

This is made of durable nylon and has a universal waist, which fits sizes up to 54 inches. It is ideal for touring or learning. It will provide protection from rain and water spray. There is also a rubber handle grab loop for safety.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

Universal waist

Great for rain and water spray

Rubber handle grab loop

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Product Dimensions: 15 x 7 x 3 inchesWeight: 2.01 pounds

10

Tropical Tour Sprayskirt by Seals

This is made of 3-ply waterproof and breathable fabric. It has double stitched and sealed seams to keep you dry. It is also comfortable. A tensioned deck stay allows water to drain off instead of pooling. It has a rim grip technology to keep it in place. There is an adjustable waistband and removeable suspenders. A mesh pocket keeps your small items safe.

What Makes This Kayaking Skirt Stand Out

3-ply fabric

Comfortable

Mesh pocket

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MODEL & ACCESSORY SPECS

Product Dimensions: 19 x 8 x 6 inchesWeight: 1.6 pounds

How To Choose A Kayak Spray Skirt – Buying Guide

Whether you are trying to learn how to kayak or are a pro, a neoprene spray skirt is a great accessory to keep you dry in your kayak. There are all types of kayaks and this means that there are a lot of kayaking skirt designs too. It can be overwhelming having to choose which design to choose or even what makes a top rated kayak spray skirt.

Here, we have all the information on what makes the best kayak spray skirt and the features you should be aware of in each design. You can also look at kayak skirt reviews to see how well a design has performed and lasted for other kayakers.

Material

The two most popular materials for a kayak splash skirt are neoprene and nylon. Neoprene is famous for being the materials that kayak wetsuits, or any wetsuits, are made out of. A neoprene spray skirt will likely be tight and snug to the body in order to preserve warmth. They are great for use when you are tumbling, eskimo rolling, and bracing for rough waters. A neoprene spray skirt would be a great addition to your winter kayaking gear.

Nylon is a lighter material that is best for recreational kayaking. It won’t have as snug a fit as a neoprene spray skirt, but it will still cinch around the waist. Nylon can still be waterproof and would be best to keep out a few splashes. However, a full submersion will likely still soak through the fabric.

You may also find a blend of the two fabrics. This can be great if you are looking to kayak throughout the day as the waves change.

Attachments

Your whitewater kayak skirt may have the option to add a few attachments. Different attachments can be items like shoulder straps, a tensioned deck stay, and pockets.

Shoulder straps can help to fully extend the material of the kayak splash skirt, which means that the water won’t pool or build up around you. A tensioned deck stay is another design that will keep water from pooling around you, while pockets are great to stash your small gear items in an accessible spot on your body.

It will be your personal choice whether you want to add any extra attachments.

Size

There are two areas where size is important: the cockpit and the torso. The cockpit size and fit will vary based on the design of your kayak. There are a lot of different kayaks, so a one-size-fits-all isn’t the best choice.

Companies should provide a detailed sizing chart that will help you fit your kayak water skirt to the size of your kayak cockpit or seat opening. You shouldn’t have to measure your kayak, as long as you know the brand and model of your kayak.

On the other hand, the kayaking skirt also needs to fit around your torso comfortably. If you are using a neoprene spray skirt, you will need to have a precise measurement of your torso or midriff because they are meant to fit snug to the body. Again, companies should provide a detailed sizing chart, so that you can match your measurements to find the correct size.

A nylon spray skirt will likely have a one-size-fits-all design, which means that you can simply cinch the material around you and the opening should be large enough to accommodate different users.

Design

There are a lot of different kayak water skirt designs. There are half skirts and tandem skirts.

Half skirts: Also called mini-skirts or splash decks, these are designed with warm weather in mind and calm water conditions. These will fit over the upper half of the cockpit and attach themselves only to the front side to keep water out but allow for fresh air to enter and circulate.

Tandem skirts: These are designed to be used with two people. These are made from two separate pieces that attach together to cover the entire cockpit. It can be used in more turbulent waters too.

Sealing

Any design of a kayak splash skirt should be well sealed. The fabric should seal around the edge of the cockpit and around your torso. The best kayak skirt will have a strong seal, where it’s needed, to ensure it does its job properly.

FAQs

Q: Why do I need a spray skirt?

A: A kayaking skirt is best used in cold weather or rough waters. When you are kayaking on a warm day in calm waters, a kayaking skirt can actually make you feel stuffy and may not be needed. However, when you are kayaking in winter or in big waves, a kayak skirt would be a great addition.

A whitewater kayak skirt will keep water out of your kayak, so it doesn’t fill up. It will also keep you warm, which can be extremely important for your safety.

Q: How to properly use the skirt?

A: To properly use the skirt you will need to know how to get in and out of a kayak, as well as how and where to sit in a kayak. Once you are comfortably seated in your kayak, you can attach your kayaking skirt design. You want to ensure that your kayak water skirt is attached properly where it needs to be and that you are cinching or closing it around your body correctly.

The best way to properly use your skirt is to follow the instructions. Due to all the different designs and types, you will want to ensure that you are properly using your skirt based on the design. You should be able to find information provided by the brand of your kayaking skirt.

Q: How to clean a kayak spray skirt?

A: The best you can do is to actually clean your kayak spray skirt after every use. You can do this by rinsing it with fresh water and allowing it to fully dry before it is stored away. This will prevent any mold, rot, or mildew.

You shouldn’t have to really clean your kayak splash skirt, but they may be able to be spot cleaned with water. If you need more instructions, there should be information provided with your kayak splash skirt. This would be best because it will be specific to your brand and design.

Globo Surf Overview

The best kayak spray skirt will keep kayakers dry and secure in their kayaks. From single kayaks to double, there should be a top rated kayak spray skirt design for everyone. Kayaking skirts are easy to use and a great addition to any kayaking trip. If you know exactly what you need you can save time and money by investing in the best kayak skirt.

Do you own one of the kayak skirts that made it onto our list? Let us know how it has worked for your kayaking needs in the comments section below.

My name is David Hamburg. I am an avid water sports fan who enjoys paddle boarding, surfing, scuba diving, and kite surfing. Anything with a board or chance I can get in the water I love! I am such a big fan I decided to start this website to review all my favorite products and some others. Hope you enjoy!